Baby-carriage.



No. 754,102. PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904;.

I L. V. THOMPSON.

BABY CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. so, 1903.

NO MODEL.

Patented March '8, 1904.,

. UNEEED STATES P TEfi f 1 OFFICE.

LETITIA v. THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BABY-CARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 754,102, dated March8, 1904. H

Application filed October 30, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LETITIlA V. THOMPSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, borough of Manhattan, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baby-Carriages, ofwhich the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to baby-carriages; and the object of theinvention is to provide a baby-carriage which can be folded into a smallcompass either for enabling itto be conveniently carried from place toplace for ex cursions, picnics, or travel or for shipment in largequantities.

A further object is to so construct the carriage that it may besupported rigidly in position withoutdanger of rolling.

- A further object is to so contruct the carriage that it is adapted forcarrying two babies.

The invention consists of certain features of construction andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred form of myinvention, Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved baby-carriage,showing the same in using position, a part being broken away. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same, showing it folded so that it may beconveniently carried. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the folded carriage. Fig.4 is a rear elevation, parts being. in section and a part removed, thecarriage being folded. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the lower portionof the carriage parts in section, showing how the wheels are locked inrolling position for use;

and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the rear portion of the carriage, partbeing removed, showing the same adapted for. carrying two babies.

Referring to the drawings, the bottom a of the carriage-body has afiixedthereto side bars I), to which are in turn alfixed the axles 0. Bothaxles being the same, the same reference-letters will be used for eachand its related parts, as will appear hereinafter. To the sides of thebottom a of the carriage-body are applied ,low side rails to the ends ofwhich the folding sides d are hinged through the medium of end pieces d,applied to the side pieces and Serial No. 179,165. (No model.)

provided with ears 0, which receive pivot-' I f, which are in turnprovided with ears g,

which extend down into spaces between the end rails a and the side railsa and receive studs or pivot-pins g, which project from the ends of theend rails a It will be observed from this construction that the ends fmay be folded down into the space between the side rails, and that thesides (Z may be folded down into said space over the end rails, as shownclearly in Figs. 2 and 3. Suitable means are provided for securing thesides and the ends together to form the carriage-body. These meanscomprise a spring-strip h, secured to the outer sides of each end fintermediately of its length, so that the free ends will extend in theform of spring-clips, the extremities of which are preferably turnedoutwardly and are .provided with perforations it. The

metallic end pieces of the sides d are provided with inwardly-projectinglugs 71. from which project beveled catches c". When either end piece isin proper position, the sides are swung up, so as to cause the lugs toenter underthe free ends of the springs h and, together with the beveledcatches 1;, to raise said ends, so thatwhen the catches, come oppositethe perforations in the springs the latter will snap over the saidcatches, and thereby lock the sides and said end f together.' Both endsf are locked together in the same manner, the ends being first moved upinto proper position. It is a very easy matter to disconnect the sidesand ends by simply lifting the free ends of the springs h anddisengaging the catches therefrom by moving the sides outwardly. Thesides and ends may then be folded down onto the bottom of thecarriage-body.

To the side bars 6 are hinged at their proj ecting rear ends at f arms76, which are connected by means of the handle in, said arms carrying,preferably, flat springs Z, provided with outturned ends Z forconvenience of manipulation and passing under keepers m, aflixed to thearms, so as to prevent the weakening or breakage of the springs bypulling them away from the arms. The free ends of the springs projectbeyond the hinge-joint at y and are provided with perforations m, whichare adapted to receive locking studs or pins 02, that project from theunder sides of the rearwardly-extending ends of the side bars 7).

The handle is locked into using position by which they are confined bynuts 0 and thejournals 0 are carried by means of brackets 10, which, asshown in Fig. 2, are bent into U shape, so as to embrace both sides ofthe axle to which the. bracket is applied, while through the side partsof each bracket abolt p passes, which also passes through and may movein a longitudinal slot 0 in the end of the axle 0. Nuts p are applied tothe screw-threaded ends of said bolts, so as to hold them in position.The construction is the same for each wheel. The corners of the axles attheir lower outer ends are rounded off, so that the brackets maybe swungaround them to enable the inner sides of the same to abut against theends of the axles, the wheels being then in rolling position. To lookthe wheels and brackets in this position, a C-spring g is employed,which spring is not firmly secured at any part, but is simply hung sothat it may have a slight endwise movement upon the fastening-bolts 0which secure the axles to the side bars. Normally the spring bulgesupwardly, its outer ends slanting downwardly. Engaged with the bulgedupper sides of the springs are cranks 7 '1, which are formed on arock-shaft r which is journaled in brackets 9 so as to extendlongitudinally of the bottom of the carriage-body. The rear end of thesaid rock-shaft is provided with a handcrank 3, whereby the shaft may beturned either to force the crank portions 7 1' down upon the middleportions of the said springs q or to release the crank portionstherefrom. Said brackets 19 are provided with upwardlyprojecting studst, which are adapted to engage perforations q in the outer free ends ofthe C-springs q. When the studs t are thus engaged with the springs q,the wheels are locked in rolling position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5;but when the rock-shaft 0' is rocked so as to force the cranks 0" downupon the middle portions of the C-springs the latter are flexed, so thatthe free ends thereof are thrown upwardly, thus disengaging the samefrom the studs 25. The wheels and brackets will then either fall intothe position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 or they may be moved into thatposition. When in this position and the sides, ends, and handle of thecarriage-body are folded, the carriage may be readily transported. Alsowhen in this position the journals, being upright, will serve as legs tosupport the carriage-body against rolling, and this is desirable when itis desired to remain for any considerable length of time at one place.

The front end f of the carriage-body may, as shown in Fig. 6, besupported like the tailboard of a wagon by means of chains or flexibleconnections a, suitably attached to the said end and applied to hooks toon the inner surfaces of the sides d. Adjacent the hooks a and separateda suitable distance rearwardly therefrom are other hooks or pins 16.Between the hooks u a a removable partition '0 may be inserted to form aback when the front end is down, the carriage being then adapted to beused as a seat forababy, while the compartment back of the partition 0may be used to contain another. It is evident that other adjustments ofthe carriage-body can be accomplished, if desiredas, for instance, therear end f may be disengaged from the sides and supported in inclinedposition upon the handle-arms. It is also evident that the parts may bestrapped or secured in folded position, so as not to become loose orwabble. The body portions of the carriage may be made of any suitablelight material, as wicker or bamboo, and the other parts may beconstructed lightly but strongly, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a baby-carriage, the combination of the bottom, folding sides andends, axles, brackets swinging on and shiftable longitudinally of.

said axles, journals held by the brackets and wheels on the journals,for substantially the purposes set forth.

2. In ababy-carriage,tl1e combination of the bottom, folding sides andends, axles and wheels mounted to be moved in rolling position and to bemoved under the bottom, said wheels being movable longitudinally of theaxles, for substantially the purposes set forth.

3. In a baby-carriage, the combination of the bottom, folding sides andends, axles applied to the bottom, brackets suitably mounted on the endsof the axles to be moved over their extreme ends and to be moved underthe axles, journals supported by the brackets adapted to be used as legsand wheels on the journals, said journals being movable longitudinallyof Elie Iaxles, for substantially the purposes set ort a 4. In ababy-carriage, the combination of the carriage-body provided with axles,swinging and shiftable journals carried by the axles, wheels mounted onthe journals, spring locking devices, and studs on the journals and coll v operating with said locking devices for automatically locking theWheels in rolling posi tion, said journals constituting legs when thewheels are in non-using position, for substantially the purposes setforth.

5. In a baby-carriage, the combination of the carriage-body providedwith axles, brackets engaging over the ends of the axles, journals onthe brackets, a pin-and-slot connection between each bracket and itsaxle, said brackets and journals being movable in line with the axle andat right angles thereto and said pinand-slot connection remainingestablished during these positions of the brackets and journals, andwheels mounted on the journals, for substantially the purposes setforth.

6. In a baby-carriage, the combination of the carriage-body providedwith axles, brackets engaging over the ends of the axles, journals onthe brackets, a pin-and-slot connection between each bracket and itsaxle, said brackets and journals being movable in line with the axle andat right angles thereto and said pinand-slot connection remainingestablished during these positions of the brackets and journals, wheelsmounted on the journals, and means for locking the brackets and wheelsin rolling position, such means being independent of the axles, forsubstantially the purposes set forth.

7 In a baby-carriage, the combination of the carriage-body providedwith, axles, brackets swinging on said axles and provided with journals, wheels mounted on said journals and means for locking thewheels in rolling position, said means comprising studs or pins on thebrackets and springs supported by the axles, for substantially thepurposes set forth.

8. In a babycarriage,the combination of the carriage-body provided withaxles, brackets swinging on said axles and provided with journals,wheels mounted on said journals and means for locking the wheels inrolling position, said means comprising pins or studs on the brackets,C-springs loosely mounted and adapted to engage the said studs or pinsand means for flexing the said springs for disengaging the ends fromsaid pins or studs, for substantially the purposes set forth.

9. In a baby-carriage, the carriage-body comprising the bottom providedwith side rails and end rails, the side rails being higher than the endrails and the end rails being separated suitable distances from the siderails, ends hinged to the end rails in the space between the same andthe side rails, and the sides hinged to the higher side rails, forsubstantially the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LETITIA V. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

REGINALD O. MARRYAT, JAMES FUREY.

